This invention relates in general to bookmarks. More particularly, the invention pertains to bookmarks that have been adapted to provide multiple purposes beyond serving as a mark for a page in a book, magazine, journal or the like.
Bookmarks primarily serve the singular purpose of marking the page or pages for a person reading a book, magazine, journal or the like. However, the bookmark may take the form of various shapes and sizes, or contain varying artwork or words for a user's enjoyment. Primarily bookmarks have a first portion that is inserted between pages of a book, and a second portion connected to the first portion that extends beyond a periphery of the pages of the book. With such a configuration, when a person stops reading a book, the reader places the bookmark in a desired position on the page being read and closes the book. Having the second portion protruding beyond the periphery of the book enables the reader to readily locate the page on which the person stopped reading.
Ben-Dor et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,309, discloses a bookmark that may serve another purpose other than simply marking a page in a book. The bookmark has an upper hook-like section that rides over the binding of a book, and acts as an “attention-attracting” item, such as pencil sharpener, photograph or advertising piece, which may be attached to the hook-like section. The '309 patent also mentions that the bookmark itself may be formed of a suitable candy substance. Accordingly, the use of the bookmark as a candy substance raises sanitary issues.